Air compressor



J. KERR.

AIR COMPRESSOR. APPLICATION man JULY 9.1920. 1,427,823. PatentedSept. 5, 1922..

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ypression chamber 25 i Patented Sept. 5, 1922.

unirse stares l 1.427,823 PATENT JOHN Knien., on TORONTO, oNTAJsrO, CANADA.

AIR COMPRESSOR.

Application led July 9, 1920.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it yknown that l, JOHN Kann, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of 122 St. Patrick Si., kin the city of Toronto, in the county of York, in the Province of Ontario, in the lominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ir Compressors, of which the following is a specification.

The'invention relates to improvements in air compressors as described in the present specific-ation and shown in the accompany ing drawings that form a part of the same.

The' objects of the invention are to permit `of the compression of air to a greater degree than has hitherto been possible, to simplify the mechanism necessary for such purpose and generally to provide an air compressor which will be inexpensive to construct, simple of operation, eilicient and durable. i

In the drawings lfigure l is a plan view of the device with the head or cap of the comremoved.

Figure2is a side elevation of thedevice, a portion of the gearing being broken away to' disclose parts therebehind.

Figure 3 is an with the lower away.l

Figure at is a sectional view taken substantially on the line ill-A. of Figure 7.

Figure 5 is a sectional view through Figure 1l taken on the line B-B- Figure 6 is a `plan view showing poi# tions of the chambers adapted to contain the sealing discs.

Figure 7 isa vertical sectional view `taken onthe line @hC of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is across sectional view taken on the line Dfi) of Figure 3.

Figure 9 iis a detail of the spring used in the construction of the worm or screw employed to force the air into the tank.

Figure 10 isa plan view of one of the sealing discs.

`Figure 11 islan edge view `of the disc shown in Figure l0.

Figure 12 is a horizontal sectional .view taken on the line D-D of Figure 7.

vLike numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the various figures.

:Referring .to the drawings lis a stand constructed `to accommodate the various parts olptheapparatus and which may be located in any desired position but is prefend view of Figure 2, portion of the tank broken Serial No. 395,016.

erably supported above the air tank 2 and `spaced therefrom.

3 are brackets supported in parallel vertical arrangement by t-he standl and having openings therethrough forming bearings for a .shaft e. rotatable therein.

o is a gear wheel rigidly mounted on the shaft 4t and Ibeing adapted to be connected in any desired manner with the source of power, (not shown in the drawings) said wheel .being provided on one side thereof with a comparatively small bevel gear 7.

.8 are eccentrics rigidly mounted onk opposite ends ofthe shaft 4. and having pivoted thereto piston arms 9 controlling pistons operating in. air cylinders 10, said cylinders being supported in horizontal arrangement by any desired means although yshown in the drawingsas supported ,by uprights l1 bolted to the stand 1.

112 are air inlet tubes projecting from the ends of the air cylinders and containing valves 12a adapted to permit of air entering the cylinders .upon 'the suction stroke of the pistons and automatically closing upon the compression stroke of said piston. (The construction of these valves is not shown in the drawings as .there are many well known forms of .valves which may be used.)

13 is the lower section of the casing adapted to `contain the compression screw or worm and the sealing discs, said section comprising a central portion 14 substantially semi-circular in cross section and being considerably greater in length than the cylinders 10, and comparatively shallow opposing compartments 15 located on opposite sides of the said central section, said compartments being preferably substantially circular in horizontal section and be ing Lprovided with circular runways 16 leading to the central or screw compartment 14.

The central portion 17 `ofthe compartments l5 may be formed integral with the section 13 lor may be in the form of discs secured to saidsection, las shown in the drawings, and are vcut away straight. as at 18 to ext-end parallel with the edge of the screw compartment 14. i

If desirable the bases ofthe runways 16 may be .grooved as at 19 or otherwise constructed `to form trackways, thus serving to reduce frictionand facilitate lthe movement ofthe sealing discs therealong.

21 is a worm `gear operating inthe end of the chamber 414 adjacent to the drive mechanism, said gear being mounted on a shaft 22 enlarged at one end and journalled in the front wall of the compartment- 1st and at its other end extending through the corresponding wall of said compartment and carrying a gear 23 thereon.

2a is a shaft rotatably journalled in a horizontal position by bearings in a bracket 25 from the stand 1 and carrying at one end a bevel gear 25a meshing with the bevel gear 7 extending from the wheel 5 and at its other end 4carrying a gear wheely 25b meshing with the gear 23 so that motion imparted to the wheel 5 will be transmitted to the worm gear 21. s

26 is a substantially circular block or partition inserted in the central compartment at the forward end of the Aworm 21 and in the path of the sealing discs and being provided with openings 27 therethrough located below the plane of the floors of the compartments 15 to permit of the air being forcedby the screw 21 into the forward end or chamber 2S formed by the insertion of said partition. i

The partition 26 is slotted on opposite sides as at 29 to permit of the passage of the sealing discs so as to eliminate the possibility of escape of air in passage from one compartment to the other.

The edges or threads 30 of the screw 21 are hollowed out slightly forming a comparatively shallow air chamber around the screw, adapted to be covered by a resilient strip 31 of material secured at its ends to the screw and being otherwise free to vibrate upon the rotation of said screw so that any backward rush of air will force itself beneath said strip and raise sait `strip into engagement with the wall of the chamber and effectually prevent any possibility of air escaping.

82 are the sealing discs adapted to be inserted in the runways 16 and to be operated therearound through the rotation of the screw 21 said discs being of suiiicient diameter to tightly engage oneJ another and the opposite sides of the runway and being of the required circumference to follow closely the contour of the concave portions of the screw 21 so that it'is absolutely impossible for any air to escape from the forward part of the central compartment 14.

lt is preferable that the edges of the discs 32 be covered with a band 83 of rubber or other resilientv material so that when the various discs are forced tightly together positively air tight joints will be formed.

34: is a tank located belowv the casing 13 and receivingthe air from the cylinders 10 through pipes 85 leading from the forward ends of said cylinders to the corresponding end of the tank,said tank being provided with an opening through the top thereof registering with a slot 36 through for operating` said the bottom of the compartment 14 so that in operation the air which is forced from the cylinders 10 will enter the tank 3a under compression and will be forced through the opening 36 into the said compartment 14 from which it will be forced by the revolving screw through the openings 27 into the compartment 28. i

37 is a tube communicating with the forward end of the casing 18 through an opening 38 in the bottom of said casing and entering the tank 2 at any desired point.

In the operation of this invention the motor or other power mechanism is set in motion causing the rotation of the wheel 5 and consequently the shaft a and eccentrics 8 and as said eccentrics are rotated the piston arms 9 are reciprocated causing .the pistons to be operated within the cylinders 10.

Upon each suction stroke of the pistons air is drawn into the cylinders through the tubes 12 and upon the reverse stroke the air is forced through the tubes 35 into the tank 34rand through the opening 36 in the top thereof into the compartment 111 and by means of the screw 21, which is rotated through the connection of the various gears, it is forced forwardly and compressed to a very high degree and forced through the openings 27 into the compartment 28 and thence through the comparatively small tube 37 into the tank 2.

As the slot 3G through which the air enters the compartment 111 is located in advance of the rearmost point at which the screw engages the discs no air can possibly escape rearwardly and as the screw 21 in its operation firmly engages the discs 32 and carries them forwardly the air in said compartment can only flow in a forward direction and through the openings 27.

What I claim isz- 1. 1n an air compressor, a recei ing tank, a piston and cylinder having an air inlet and suitable check valve, an intermediate chamber communicating with. said receiving tank, a screw drive suitably enclosed and communicating with said intermediate chamber and with said cylinder and means piston `and said screw drive coincidently to drive the air continuously to the receiving tank in superpressed quantities.

2. In an air compressor, a cylinder having an air inlet and check valve and a piston operating therein, a spiral driving member suitably mounted, means for driving said piston and said spiral member coincidently, a casing containing said spiral member and having contiguous chambers and connected with said cylinder, rotatable discs constituting packing members engaging said spiral member andy enclosed in certain of said contiguous chambers anda receiving tank connected with a chamber contiguous to the chamber containing said spiral driving member. p

3. In an air compressor, a cylinder having an inlet and check valve and a piston operating therein, an intermediate chamber communicating with said cylinder and receiving the air therefrom, a screw drive suitably enclosed and receiving the air irom said intermediate chamber and delivering said air to said tank in superpressed quantities, means for driving said piston and said screw drive .coincidently and means operable coincidently with said screw drive for preventing back llow of air.

4. ln an aircompressor, a cylinder having an inlet and check valve `and a piston operating therein, an intermediate chamber communicating with said cylinder andreceiving air therefrom, a worm gear, a casing having' a central worm chamber receiving air from said intermediate chamber and contiguous chambers forming enclosures for packing discs engaging said worm gear and operable thereby, a 'tank receiving the air from said intermediate chamber through the operation of said worm gear and means t'or driving said piston and said worm gear coincidently.

5. In an air compressor, a receiving tank, an intermediate air chamber, cylinders having air inlets and check valves and pistons operating in said cylinders respectively and forcing the air into said intermediate chamber, a screw drive, a casing having a central compartment containing said screw drive and contiguous chambers on opposite sides thereof constituting runways communicating with said central compartment, rotatable packing discs operable in said runways through engagement with said screw drive and forming therewitlimeans for forcing said air into said receiving tank in superpressed quantities, and means for driving` said pistons and said screw drive Icoincidently.

G. In an air compressor, a receiving tank, an intermediate air chamber, cylinders having air inlets and check valves and pistons operating in said cylinders respectively and forcing the air into said intermediate chamber, a screw drive, a casing-having a central compartment containing said screw drive and oppositely disposed contiguous chambers .constituting substantially circular runways leading to said central compartment, packing discs operable in said runways respectively through engagement `with said screw drive and forming therewith means for forcing said air into said receiving tank in superpressed quantities, said casing being' provided intermediately thereof with a partition having air outlets leading to said receiving tank and. being slotted to receive said discs in passage and means for driving said pistons and said screw drive coincidently.

. said discs being 7. In an air compressor, a receiving tank, cylinders having pistons operating therein and aii inlet valves, an intermediate air chamber communicating with said cylinders and having' anair outlet, a gear casing communicating with said intermediate chamber through said outlet and receiving the air therefrom and having oppositely disposed' contiguous chambers of comparatively shallow design and provided with substantially circular runways leading to said gear casing, a spiral gear journalled in said casing and adapted to advance the air from said intermediate chamber to said receiving tank, sealing discs carried by said runways and movable through engagement with said gear, provided with flexible bands circumferentially arranged thereon, and mechanism adapted to operate said pistons and said spiral gear coincidently.

8. In an air compressor, a receiving tank, cylinders having pistons operating therein and air inlet valves, an intermediate air chamber and having an air outlet, a gear CHSHIQ' Com- `Inunicating with said intermediate chamber through said outlet and receiving the air therefrom and having oppositely disposed contiguous chambers provided with substantially circular runways leading to saidV gear casing, a spiral gear journalled in said casing and adapted to advance the air from said intermediate chamber to said receiving tank, said gear being provided with means adapted to seal said. casing against the escape of air, sealing discs carried by said runways and movable through engagement with said gear, and mechanism adapted to operate said pistons and said spiral gear coincident-ly.

9. ln an air compressor, a receiving tank, cylinders having pistons operating therein and air inlet valves, an intermediate air chamber communicating with said cylinders and having an air outlet, a gear casing communicating with said intermediate chamber through said outlet and receiving the air therefrom and having oppositely disposed contiguous chambers provided with substantially circular runways leading to said gear casing, a spiral gear joui-nailed in said Y casing and adapted to advance the air from said intermediate chamber to said receiving tank, the threads of said gear being hollowed and provided with a resilient covering, sealing discs carried by said runways and movable through engagement with said gear, and suitable gear Ymechanism adapted to operate said pistons and coincidently. i

Signed at the city of Toronto, this 20th day of h/iay, 1920.

JOHN KEER., lit-nesses:

G. MURPHY, y i C. A, RICHARDSON.

communicating with said cylinders llO said spiral ygear 

